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Posting Mormon Temple Ordinances On The Net

Posting Temple Ordinances On The Net

I recently saw a web site that has as its premise - the temple ordinances in detail. The site's owner gives the argument that:

1. There is so much of the info misguidedly put on the net already so he is just showing how it really is...

2. The Temple ordinances were meant to be treated with sacredness not secret, but Members of the Church seem to enforce the secret part more

What do you think about his argument? He claims to be an active endowed Member of the Church.

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I know which site you are talking about. It does not look like an Anti-Mormon site and I think the guy indeed is a member of the Church. I know many members who think we should be discussing openly what we learn in the Temples, maybe he is one of them?

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Disseminating sacred ordinances in the public domain is an outright sin, in my opinion. Back before the changes made in the 1980's, there were serious consequences attached to divulging sacred information. Since those have been removed, it seems the sacredness means less to some people.

In my opinion.
Roz

Edited: FarSeer on 1st Nov, 2006 - 4:36am

Net The Ordinances Temple Mormon Posting

I am somewhat torn over this. I believe that we, the members of the Church, NEED to discuss the ordinances, in great detail. The Endowment contains tremendous things, that are important to us NOW, not just after death. Unfortunately, we are told that we are not to discuss these things.

However, back in the 1800s, these things WERE discussed in public - in General Conference. They are in the Journal of Discourses, as well as many other places.

I am not, ever, going to discuss them with someone who isn't endowed. However, in some circumstances, I am willing to discuss them with people who are.

I have electronic copies of several different endowments. I have a detailed description of the "Lecture At The Veil" from the late 1800s. I have a fairly good representation of the 1879 Endowment, the 1931, 1984, and the 1990 Endowments. There are changes in each, but the changes made in the late 1980s are horrible.

There is specific meaning and symbolism to things taken out in the 1980s, things that have eternal significance.

I am able to study, ponder, and learn from these. I received my Endowments in 1985, so know the differences between it and the 1990 version. I have learned wonderful things from reading back through the earlier version.

Anyway, while I don't like it that someone posts it publicly on the Internet, I am not all that bothered by it. I am much more bothered by the OTHER sites that publish it, and mock it.

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Whatever the intention of the web site owner, it's my opinion that by making the temple ordinances public record he is providing the adversary with a greater opportunity to use and abuse the sacred information for his own purposes. I've heard that there are evil spirits as well as righteous spirits constantly surrounding us, and by discussing these things outside the temple we are providing these spirits with information they would not otherwise have access to.

Posting Mormon Temple Ordinances On The Net

The only problem with that argument is that the endowment is already on the public record, in many different places, in many different ways.

Some time ago some woman reporter joined the church, waited her year, then went through for her Endowments, carrying a small tape recorder. She then published it all in a major magazine ('Look' if I remember right).

Likewise, right now I can find at least three different versions of it (1800s, pre-1990, and post 1990) on the Internet, all at anti-Mormon sites.

Heck, Ed Decker published very detailed reports of all aspects of the Endowment in his infamous book, "The Godmakers."

So, whatever the person publishes on this website is innocuous as far as providing ammunition for the adversary.

Posting Mormon Temple Ordinances The Net

The replies have been interesting. Personally I feel public error does not justify the proliferation of sacred ordinances meant only for the ears and eyes of those worthy to receive such. If I may give a basic example... if I gave a special blessing to my son that was for his ears only because there were certain things said that only he would understand, and then someone nearby in passing caught wind of it and decided to make public what he picked up, do I then say to myself that since it is all public let me talk about what I really said in the blessing meant only for the ears of my son?

I can understand talking about these things with other Members, in fact I feel so isolated in my location and wish I could with other Members in the Temple, but putting it on the net is giving it to even those who have not yet seen it and get the wrong idea. Unendowed Members will visit this guy's site and be shocked, because they are receiving something they are unprepared for. You may say well, they are going to find it elsewhere, but supposed they are not looking? They come across this site because of the basis of the man being an active Member sharing non-anti info (this site is advertised, it is not one of those quiet, well hidden sites) only to be surprised to get more than they bargained for.

So with all of that said, I do not think posting this information on the net is a good idea by any means. Heck, we have a hidden LDS Mature section here and I doubt we could ever reach the stage of talking about the things this guy does publicly.

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I couldn't agree with you more JB. Posting the Endowment online because others have does not make it right. My wife and I don't even discuss what goes on in the Temple unless we are in the Temple. That may be a little extreme, but it's something we both agreed on because we didn't want to say something we shouldn't in front of others who have been endowed and may not be spiritually ready.
I love the Temples, and I feel so sad for those who mock them, because they either don't know, or have forgotten just how wonderful they are.